Found: The Patterned Blazer

April 9, 2013

By now, my closet has a few blazer options: a thrifted gray herringbone, a cheap brown tweed bought on sale, a threadbare corduroy from American Eagle. (Hey, I was told this website was a safe place for confessions.) It’s to the point where I’m excited by the idea of building a collection—a little more diversity than just a single go-to pick for all occasions.

The next obvious step was something with a little more personality. But as we all know, I’m a reluctant adopter when it comes to clothing experiments. So I thought it might make sense to start with something slow and subtle.

This blazer from Banana Republic’s Mad Men Collection fit the bill. (Or “Madmn,” as Zach Galifianakis would say.) And thanks to the return of everyone’s favorite show about people in their early 60s, with Don Draper’s brooding creative genius dominating our television screens, it felt timely.

It’s technically the top to a suit, but since I don’t have the pants it functions well enough on its own. Blue (my old friendly standby) with a compressed plaid in a darker hue. Usually worn with solids to make the pattern more of a focal point. And I’m digging the tailored fit. It pulls slightly when it’s buttoned, but as an off-the-rack option it ain’t bad for a Lilliputian like me.

A note about the tie: It’s a fairly standard navy knit from the Knottery, until you get to the bottom where it’s enhanced by a white edge. I’m a fan.

Now all that’s left is to have a smoke and a drink while tumbling out of a skyscraper on Madison Avenue.